Infrastructure and Projects Authority

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}{{Infobox Government agency

|agency_name = Infrastructure and Projects Authority

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|formed = 1 January 2016

|preceding1 = Infrastructure UK

|dissolved = 1 April 2025

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|jurisdiction = United Kingdom

|headquarters = 1 Horse Guards Road, London, United Kingdom

|employees = 180 (2024){{cite web |title=Working for IPA |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/infrastructure-and-projects-authority/about/recruitment |website=Infrastructure and Projects Authority |access-date=27 December 2024}}

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|chief1_name = Nick Smallwood

|chief1_position = Chief Executive

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|parent_agency = Cabinet Office and HM Treasury

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|website = [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/infrastructure-and-projects-authority IPA]

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|chief2_position=|chief3_name=|chief3_position=|chief4_name=|chief4_position=|chief5_name=|chief5_position=|chief6_name=|chief6_position=|chief7_name=|chief7_position=|chief8_name=|chief8_position=|chief9_name=|chief9_position=|parent_department=|preceding2=Major Projects Authority}}

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) was, between 2016 and April 2025, the United Kingdom government's centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. The IPA reported to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. The core teams included experts in infrastructure, project delivery and project finance who worked with government departments and industry.

The IPA supported delivery of all types of in frastructure and major projects; ranging from railways, schools, hospitals and housing, to defence, IT and major transformation programmes. The IPA led the project delivery and project finance professions across government through the Government Major Projects Portfolio.{{cite web|url=https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/96743/html/|title=The Government's Management of Major Projects inquiry|publisher= UK Parliament|access-date=31 March 2025}} It was superseded by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), established in April 2025.

History

The IPA was formed in 2016 by the merger of Infrastructure UK (IUK) and the Major Projects Authority (MPA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-creates-new-body-to-help-manage-and-deliver-major-projects-for-uk-economy|title=Government creates new body to help manage and deliver major projects for UK economy - Press releases - GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=2016-09-19}} The IPA Chief Executive was Tony Meggs until July 2019, when he was replaced by Nick Smallwood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-government-projects-chief-unveiled|title=New Government Projects Chief Unveiled|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2019-07-02}}

IUK was established in 2010 to support major infrastructure projects involving public sector capital; and the MPA was established in 2011 with a mandate to oversee and assure the largest government projects.{{cite web|url=https://committees.parliament.uk/work/4297/major-projects-authority/publications/|title=Major Projects Authority|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=31 March 2025}}

In December 2017 the IPA issued the Transforming Infrastructure Performance report aimed at achieving annual savings of £15 billion per year in infrastructure procurement by increasing collaboration and innovation. On 13 September 2021, a follow-up report, Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030, was published alongside the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline forecasting £650bn investment in UK infrastructure over the next decade.{{cite web |title=Policy paper: Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 Published 13 September 2021 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-infrastructure-performance-roadmap-to-2030/transforming-infrastructure-performance-roadmap-to-2030 |website=IPA |access-date=20 September 2021}}

In May 2024, ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Labour Party announced plans to merge the IPA with the National Infrastructure Commission in order to speed up the delivery of major infrastructure projects in the UK. The new body would be called the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.[https://www.ft.com/content/4f8337e9-e0f4-4d5a-a320-eee1870ef2d6 Labour vows to break ‘inertia’ of UK infrastructure delivery], Financial Times. 23 May 2024.{{cite news |last1=Gayne |first1=Daniel |title=Labour would merge National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/labour-pledges-to-merge-nic-and-ipa-if-elected-in-infrastructure-shake-up/5129597.article |access-date=27 May 2024 |work=Building |date=24 May 2024}} NISTA was established in April 2025 as a joint unit of the Treasury and Cabinet Office, with Darren Jones as the responsible minister.{{Cite web |last=Gayne |first=Daniel |date=22 January 2025 |title=Reeves’ number two to be lead minister for new infrastructure body |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/reeves-number-two-to-be-lead-minister-for-new-infrastructure-body/5133932.article |access-date=22 January 2025 |website=Building |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=1 April 2025 |title=Government promises ‘new era’ for UK infrastructure delivery |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/government-promises-new-era-for-uk-infrastructure-delivery |access-date=1 April 2025 |website=www.theconstructionindex.co.uk |language=en}}

Infrastructure and Projects Authority

History

References

See also